Today we’d like to introduce you to Masha Models.
Masha, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve been around the modeling world since I was young. I watched my sister go through it, kids in boarding school, my college roommate studying fashion design – it was all around me but I never really thought about giving it a go myself.
It was in college that I really had my first modeling experience just as something to do. A hairstylist needed hair model, and I thought “Why Not.” After all, I needed a haircut, and I wasn’t picky.
I received some great photos from that shoot and decided to start dabbling in different kinds of modeling. I started doing as many shoots as possible – after work, on weekends, over holidays. I started using my vacation time to go on model tours.
Finally, I couldn’t keep up both my full-time job along with all my shoots. I had to make a choice, but it was an easy one. I wasn’t content working all day in an office and decided to take the leap to be a full-time artist.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I’m a model. I am hired by photographers, artists, designers, anyone looking for a professional to model for their work.
In the past, I never thought of myself as an artist, but more as a tool to help others bring their art to life. I was content helping people in this way, creating unique images as a team and bringing their ideas to life. It’s really fulfilling, and I love seeing how happy people are when they see their images.
Lately, however, I’ve been learning photography techniques on my own and applying them to my own photo shoots and cosplay work. It’s so amazing to put together my own character inspired looks and be able to photograph them, and then share them with others who enjoy the nerd genres.
The stereotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
I think the thing that helped me the most was having a financial plan. Sometimes, this gets put to the side when people become full-time freelancers. You end up having to juggle so many things that you forget about your initial financial plan. Try to stay conscious of how much money you need to make, how much you have to pay in taxes (which is always more as a freelancer), and how much you are putting back into your craft.
It can be scary to look at those things (especially if you’re in the red financially), but being on top of them can help you set goals for yourself to get out of the red.
Also, make sure to diversify your income! Freelancers often hit lows in their main “job” area. For example, if I’m not on tour, I’ll probably see less cash in-flow, so I push myself to create more of my own content for Patreon during that time. I then further diversify my income by teaching classes (in my field, like how to pose or how to use social media as a business), having an eBay resale shop on the side, AirBnbing, and even Ubering. There are so many options for income diversification these days without you needing to get stuck in a 9-5 office job, and they will allow you to work around your freelance schedule.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work is primarily online on my facebook pages and Instagram accounts (@MashaModels and @MashaCosplays). I do have a Patreon (patreon.com/mashamodels) that allows people to see extra content while also supporting my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: mashamodels.com
- Email: masha@mashasmodeling.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mashamodels
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Masha2633/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MashaModels
- Other: instagram.com/mashacosplays
Image Credit:
BW Cosplay photo: Photographer ACC Cosplay & Bodypaint/FX by RCC Creations, Balloon Photo: Photographer: Naoto Nakamura, Yellow Dress in Field: Photographer Blue Fire Sweetly, Back/Profile: Photographer Chris Porto, Couch: Photographer Kiera Grant, Sally Bodypaint: Photographer MDR Photo && Bodypaint by RCC Creations, Green Dress: Photographer Naoto Nakamura, Band jacket: Photographer Bob Warren
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